According to The Wrap, The Weistein Company (Inglourious Basterds production company) wants Tarantino to cut 40 full minutes from the film. The question is, are they trying to cut it short so that appeals to more people and they can make more cash? After all, they can always release the Director’s cut later on. Maybe, maybe not, but one thing is for sure; a film with a running time of 2’40” is too long, especially for American audiences. Although as we have discussed many of Tarrantino’s past films have had long run times.

When Inglourious Basterds premiered at Cannes the running time was 2’27” and when asked to send the film back into the editing room, Tarantino’s purpose was to add one or two scenes. Here is what he told The Hollywood Reporter about the Cannes cut:

“It’s a no-fucking-around kind of pacing. That doesn’t mean it’s a big action movie. It just means there’s a good, steady pacing. I don’t luxuriate in every scene.”

Tarantino will most likely keep the running time low, but not as low as Weistein is demanding. Let’s hope that this doesn’t turn into a nasty feud like the Hitchcock/Selznick one.